Blue plantain lily

Blue plantain lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Broad, dense clump of leaves; with the flower stems about 70 cm tall and 90 cm wide.

Leaves

Large, heart-shaped to oval, glossy dark green with deep, curving veins and a pointed tip.

Flower

Bell-shaped and suddenly flared, violet with dark stripes, in clusters above the leaves, July–August.

Seed

It sets plenty of seed formed without pollination: the seedlings closely resemble the parent plant.

Roots

Fleshy roots and a compact rootstock; the clump widens slowly.

Flowering: July–August · Plants: March–May and September · Pruning: September and November

Why grow it?

• Large, glossy leaves that form a calm green mass in the shade from May until the first frost.
• Beautiful deep violet bell flowers in July–August, which attract bumblebees and bees.
• One of the toughest and longest-lived hostas: a clump can stay in the same spot for years.
• The dense foliage smothers weeds.
• Lovely beside a pond, under trees or in a large pot.

Blue plantain lily: where does it grow best?

• Partial or full shade; morning sun is fine, but strong midday sun scorches the leaves.
• Humus-rich loam or clay, acid, neutral or chalky.
• Soil that holds moisture: moderately moist to wet, even at the edge of a pond.
• Sheltered from strong winds, which can tear the large leaves.
• Allow 80–90 cm between plants.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.7 m tall, 0.9 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: Fine, feathery foliage beside the large, glossy leaves.
• Astilbe: Plumes in pink, red or white in the same moist partial shade.
• Smooth hydrangea: White flower heads above the hostas in summer.
• Heuchera: Coloured leaves as a contrast to the dark green.

Blue plantain lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September.

1. Plant from March to May or in September, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix in plenty of compost or leaf mould so the soil holds moisture.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, with the growing points just below the surface.
4. Space plants 80–90 cm apart.
5. Water thoroughly straight away and keep the soil moist during the first year.
6. Mulch with leaf mould to keep the soil cool and moist.

Care

Watering

Water generously in dry summers, in the morning and at the base: in drought the leaves get brown edges.

Feeding

Compost or organic fertiliser in April, as the leaves emerge.

Slugs

Protect the young leaves in April–May: pick them off in the evening, use a band of coarse grit or a beer trap.

Spent flowers

Cut the flower stems off at the base after flowering, unless you want seed.

Tidying

Remove the leaves after the first frost, once they are limp and brown.

Tip: Protect the young leaves from slugs in April–May: holes stay visible all season, because a hosta makes hardly any new leaves after its first flush.

Blue plantain lily: when to prune it?

Pruning months: September and November.

When: It is not really pruned. In September cut off the spent flower stems, in November the dead leaves.

How:

• In September, cut the spent flower stems off at the base.
• In November, clear away the limp, brown leaves: slugs like to overwinter under them.
• In summer, cut damaged leaves off at the base.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In April, as the pointed shoots just break the surface, or in September: cut the clump into pieces with a sharp spade, each with several growing points.

Seed

In this species seed comes almost true: sow ripe seed in pots in spring. Seedlings take a few years to make a good-sized clump.

Blue plantain lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −35 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The leaves die back in autumn; the plant overwinters underground and shoots again in April.
• In a pot: keep the pot sheltered and do not let the compost get too wet in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs and snails: Holes in the young leaves. Pick them off in the evening, use a band of coarse grit or a beer trap, and clear the old leaves in autumn.
• Brown leaf edges: Too much sun or drought. Water, mulch or move the plant to more shade.
• Vine weevil: Half-moon notches in the leaf edges. Apply nematodes against the grubs in the soil in spring or late summer.
• Virus: Mottled, marbled or distorted leaves. Dig up the plant, throw it away (not on the compost heap) and clean your tools.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Add compost.
• April: Shoots break the surface. Divide. Keep slugs away.
• May: Plant. Keep slugs away. Water in dry spells.
• June: Leaves at their best. Water in dry spells.
• July: Flowering begins. Water in dry spells.
• August: In flower. Water in dry spells.
• September: Cut off spent flower stems. Plant or divide.
• October: The leaves turn yellow.
• November: Clear away the dead leaves.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Hostas are poisonous to dogs, cats and horses: the leaves contain saponins, which cause vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy when chewed. In Japan the young shoots of some hostas are cooked as a vegetable, but do not let children eat the leaves or flowers, and do not use your garden hostas in the kitchen. Dogs like to dig in the cool soil under the large leaves and young dogs chew the emerging shoots: clear up cut and dead leaves straight away, and do not give them to rabbits or guinea pigs. Call your vet if an animal has eaten a lot. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The genus is named after the Austrian botanist Nicolaus Thomas Host. It used to be called Funkia, a name still often heard.
• This species forms seed without pollination: the seedlings are near copies of the parent, which is exceptional among hostas.
• Ventricosa means ‘swollen’, after the bell-shaped flower that suddenly flares open.